Coke to End India Management Rejig with Key Appointments

Coca-Cola’s shakeup of its top management in India is drawing to a close with a slew of key appointments. As part of its strategy to establish a new team and revitalise sales in the country, the Atlanta-based soft-drink company started shuffling its top deck last year.

The exercise began with the advent of new CFO Sarvita Sethi from its European business unit and culminated in its India and South West Asia president Venkatesh Kini being replaced by T Krishnakumar, the CEO of its bottling arm Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), in May.

Subsequently, the maker of Minute Maid orange drink and its namesake cola is roping in Vijay Parasuraman as new marketing head. Parasuraman -currently the general manager, sparkling beverages at Coca-Cola, China -will succeed Debabrata Mukherjee. “Parasuraman has a great record with sparkling beverages,” said a senior industry executive. “He led Thums Up successfully in India. Even in a market like China, where its’s tough to sell fizzy drinks, he has done well.” Parasuraman’s predecessor Mukherjee will replace Sumanta Dutta, VP, South West Asia, in an operational role. Dutta, a Coca-Cola veteran, will move out of the company.

The shake-up doesn’t end there. Sundeep Bajoria from Coca-Cola’s UAE team has joined as VP -strategy & insights for India and South West Asia business unit. He comes in place of Asim Parekh, who has been asked to lead the new Fruit and Agriculture Circular Economy initiatives of the company. A Coca-Cola Indiaspokesperson confirmed the developments.

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